When Stephen Merchant danced to Pulp at Glastonbury

Pulp ignited a lot of nostalgia on Saturday when they returned to Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage after 30 years.

The appearance certainly sparked memories from Stephen Merchant, who posted footage of their appearance on the NME Stage in 1994 – with him in the crowd. He can be seen singing along as Jarvis Cocker performs the track Babies.

Writing on X, the Outlaws creator said: ‘In honour of #Pulp’s triumphant return to the #Glastonbury Festival tonight, here they are in 1994 with a young Stephen Merchant providing backing vocals from the crowd.’

In honour of #Pulp’s triumphant return to the #Glastonbury Festival tonight, here they are in 1994 with a young Stephen Merchant providing backing vocals from the crowd. pic.twitter.com/d3XONUTg4l

— Stephen Merchant (@StephenMerchant) June 28, 2025

At the time Merchant was only 19 and studying for a BA in film and literature at Warwick University. It would be three more years before he met Ricky Gervais and Radio X, forming the partnership that created The Office.

Many fans responded to 6ft 7in Merchant’s post by making the same two jokes: that they would have hated to have been standing behind him, or that he could have been used as a landmark to meet friends, a gag he makes in his stand-up.

Pulp’s slot at Glastonbury had been billed under the fake name Patchwork, to keep their appearance secret – although many fans suspected the truth before it was revealed.

After the Sheffield band’s performance in 1994 they retuned the following year as a last-minute replacement for Saturday night headlines The Stone Roses, after their guitarist John Squire broke his collarbone. 

Published: 30 Jun 2025